


wrap yourself around the sun (let me protect my piece of the moon)

by achilleus



Series: I'd catch falling stars in mason jars for you. [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Falling In Love, Family, First Impressions, First Meetings, Fluff, Friendship, Junhui & Jeonghan Friendship, M/M, Protectiveness, Wen Junhui Appreciation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-04
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-26 20:34:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12565660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/achilleus/pseuds/achilleus
Summary: “Why do you need to go to the convenience store anyway?” Jeonghan asks as they make their way down the darkened, nighttime streets; the lamps cast an artificial glow, making Junhui seem…oddly ethereal and vulnerable under its yellow glare.“I want to buy more jelly candy,” Junhui explains. His hands are swinging playfully at his sides, brushing teasingly against Jeonghan’s own arms. He continues semi-haltingly, but no less earnest: “Hansol and Mingyu like them. I want to buy more so that we can eat them together.”It’s an odd thing, the way you can look at something in one moment, and then see it in a completely different light the next. Junhui’s sweet words suddenly brings all of their past interactions under a new light; instead of cool and semi-standoffish, Junhui just seems unbearably sweet and kind. It seems ridiculously obvious now that Jeonghan’s past perception of Junhui’s aloof behaviour has less to do with actual detachedness and more to do with his shy uncertainty. Feeling quietly apologetic, Jeonghan leans a bit closer to the taller boy and lets their elbows knock playfully against each other.Or: Five times Jeonghan took care of Junhui, and one time he realized he didn't have to.





	wrap yourself around the sun (let me protect my piece of the moon)

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I have started a series dedicated to appreciating Junhui because he's the sweetest person alive, and he deserves all the love in the world.
> 
> Please enjoy 8000+ words of Jeonghan (and the other members) appreciating Junhui and taking care of him. :)

i.  
  
  
  
  
Jeonghan isn’t naïve enough to think that he’ll become best friends with every single one of the trainees. After the initial wonderment wears off and the rose-tinted lenses are slipped away, it becomes very apparent that each of the sixteen boys all possess incredibly different personalities which simply means that some will get along better with others. Unique dynamics begin forming and adapting around the new inclusion of Jeonghan and Joshua to their group, and it only takes a little less than a month for Jeonghan to figure out where he fits in with this larger community.  
  
He sticks to Joshua because Joshua is warm, and friendly, and Jeonghan feels ridiculously comfortable around the American boy despite only having known him for a few weeks. There’s also just something extremely nice about being new and learning the ropes together with someone else. Joshua seems to feel the same way if his sweet smiles are any indication, and Jeonghan is all too happy to walk around with the other boy at his side.  
  
He teams up with Jihoon to mercilessly tease Seungcheol, and teams up with Seungcheol to continuously boast about every aspect of Jihoon, much to Jihoon’s embarrassed delight.  
  
He goes along with Soonyoung and Seokmin’s antics, playing along whenever they decide to randomly start a skit, and cheering them on whenever inspiration strikes them to dance, or sing, or paint, or whatever other marvelous feat they decide to put their minds to that day.  
  
He recommends interesting books to Wonwoo, and contentedly allows him and Mingyu to kick his ass in video games (cheating isn’t exactly an option unless Jeonghan can somehow scrounge up cheats beforehand which, _yeah no_ ).  
  
He babies Seungkwan and Hansol and Chan and Samuel, who are all so young and still filled with such childlike innocence. He buys them treats whenever he can, and does his best to nurture their creative spirit. He loves the youngest members with a ferocity that surprises even himself, but he embraces the protectiveness he feels for them, and does his best to make sure they know that they’re not alone, despite being so far away from home.  
  
And Junhui…Jeonghan likes Junhui. The other boy is quiet, and cool, and always composed. He would make a good idol. And while Jeonghan respects the Chinese boy, he’s not particularly close to him either. They share small-talk whenever necessary, they’re perfectly polite to each other, they get along fine.  
  
Jeonghan _likes_ Junhui. He’s just not close to him, and he’s perfectly happy with that.  
  
  
  
  
“Junhui?” Jeonghan hedges out hesitantly. The figure before him turns around, and Jeonghan can see the relief that washes over Junhui’s face under the yellow glow of the street lamps.  
  
“Jeonghan-hyung,” Junhui breathes out before rushing towards the older boy. Jeonghan blinks in surprise as Junhui skids to a stop in front of him. The Chinese boy’s cheeks are a sharp, ruddy colour, and his eyes are just the slightest bit glassy. His lips are bitten red, and he’s visibly shivering under the cool, night sky.  
  
Eyebrows furrowing in concern, Jeonghan asks, “How long have you been out here, Junhui?”  
  
Junhui frowns, thinking hard about it. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, the words evading him, before he shrugs. “Dunno.”  
  
“Well, what are you doing out here then?” Jeonghan asks instead. There’s another pause as Junhui carefully searches for the words. Another shiver wracks up the younger boy’s body, and Jeonghan instinctively begins shrugging out of his hoodie. The look of confusion that settles over Junhui’s features after Jeonghan manages to wrestle his white hoodie over his head is almost worth the biting cold that immediately assaults Jeonghan’s bare arms.  
  
“Um…I was. I was going to the convenience store?” Junhui makes his answer sound like a question, and Jeonghan tsks, more out of worry than any really annoyance.  
  
“Okay. I’m going to _Caffé Bene_ right now. Why don’t you come with me, and we can warm you up with a hot drink, yeah?” Junhui’s eyebrows furrow a bit, and Jeonghan – noticing the other’s mild expression of uncertainty – immediately slows down his fast-paced spew of words. “Let’s go get you something hot to drink, okay? After you’ve warmed up, we can go to the convenience store together. Does that sound good?”  
  
Junhui nods slowly, and Jeonghan begins walking towards the coffee shop. Junhui is a warm presence at his side, and Jeonghan can feel the way the younger boy swings his arms around with childish exuberance. He seems to be quietly humming a cheerful tune beneath his breath, and when Jeonghan looks to his side, Junhui meets his eyes with a brilliant smile.  
  
“Thank you for finding me, Jeonghan-hyung,” Junhui says slowly but politely, and Jeonghan feels his lips tick up in a small smile at the face of the other’s sincere gratitude.  
  
“It was just luck,” Jeonghan waves off Junhui’s thanks with a playful flap of his hand. Shooting the Chinese boy a more contemplative look, Jeonghan asks: “Why were you all by yourself anyway? Shouldn’t someone have gone with you?”  
  
“Oh. Um, manager-nim wanted to go with me, but I said I would be okay.” Shrugging a little self-deprecatingly, Junhui tugs at the sleeves of Jeonghan’s hoodie with a small frown. “I ended up getting lost. I will bring manager-nim with me next time.”  
  
“Please do,” Jeonghan says. Having reached _Caffé Bene_ , he pulls open the door and ushers Junhui inside the bustling shop first. “It’d be pretty sad if we lost you.”  
  
“Ah, yes,” Junhui nods in agreement. He smiles softly at Jeonghan one more time before his eyes drift up to the big menu hanging above the cash register. Jeonghan can see the way the younger boy silently mouths the words to himself, his eyes scrunched up in obvious concentration as he slowly but steadily works his way through the options. The violent red is beginning to recede from his high cheekbones, and a more acceptable pink begins to take its place. A few more seconds pass before Junhui hesitantly asks: “Is there hot chocolate?”  
  
“ _Do they have_ hot chocolate,” Jeonghan gently corrects.  
  
Junhui nods and repeats after him, “Do they have hot chocolate?”  
  
“Yes.” Jeonghan points to the board. “Do you see that? That spells out ‘hot’, and then we have ‘chocolate’ over there. See it?”  
  
“Oh, yes,” Junhui nods happily. When Jeonghan glances at him, there’s a proud little smile dancing on Junhui’s lips, and Jeonghan feels his own face breaking in an answering grin. “Please, can I have one hot chocolate?”  
  
“You most definitely can,” Jeonghan agrees and shuffles over to the register. Junhui attempts to pay for the drinks, but Jeonghan immediately pushes his hands away. “No,” he says mock-sternly. “I’m the hyung, and I’ve decided to treat you this time. Be a good dongsaeng and accept your hyung’s treat.”  
  
Junhui pouts, but Jeonghan can see the way his eyes sparkle in merriment. “Okay,” he concedes in dramatic defeat. “Thank you for the hot chocolate, Jeonghan-hyung.”  
  
“Thank you for keeping me company as I feed my coffee addiction,” Jeonghan responds in kind.  
  
“Addiction?” Junhui asks.  
  
“Yeah. It means to depend on something.”  
  
“Depend?” Junhui asks.  
  
“It means you like something so much, you can’t live without it.”  
  
“Oh,” Junhui nods. “So you cannot live without coffee?” Jeonghan nods and the way Junhui giggles happily into his hands makes Jeonghan have to reevaluate his entire initial perception of the younger, Chinese boy.  
  
They end up finishing their drinks over easy, comfortable conversation. Jeonghan quickly learns that Junhui is actually just a bit shy, but brimming with curiosity. Once Jeonghan starts on a subject that Junhui finds interesting, he can come up with question after question that leaves Jeonghan wracking his brain for an appropriate answer. Junhui is also easily pleased; he laughs at the smallest jokes that Jeonghan makes, and spends most of their time together with a joyful – if a little bashful – smile on his face. Jeonghan ends up grinning in response for most of the evening, and when they finally leave _Caffé Bene_ , his cheeks actually ache a bit from the continual force of his smile.  
  
“Why do you need to go to the convenience store anyway?” Jeonghan asks as they make their way down the darkened, nighttime streets, the lamps casting an artificial glow and making Junhui seem…oddly ethereal and vulnerable under its yellow glare.  
  
“I want to buy more jelly candy,” Junhui explains. His hands are swinging playfully at his sides, brushing teasingly against Jeonghan’s own arms. He continues semi-haltingly, but no less earnest: “Hansol and Mingyu like them. I want to buy more so that we can eat them together.”  
  
It’s an odd thing, the way you can look at something in one moment, and then see it in a completely different light the next. Junhui’s sweet words suddenly brings all of their past interactions under a new light; instead of cool and semi-standoffish, Junhui just seems unbearably sweet and kind. It seems ridiculously obvious now that Jeonghan’s past perception of Junhui’s aloof behaviour has less to do with actual detachedness and more to do with his shy uncertainty. Feeling quietly apologetic, Jeonghan leans a bit closer to the taller boy and lets their elbows knock playfully against each other.  
  
“Will you share your jelly snacks with me, too?” He asks.  
  
Junhui blinks in surprise, before the now-familiar smile stretches over his face. “Yes!” He agrees immediately before suddenly pausing. “What is snacks?” He asks, looking at Jeonghan with wide, questioning eyes.  
  
Jeonghan launches into an explanation and happily answers all the other questions that pop up afterwards.  
  
Junhui’s favourite jelly snacks really are delicious. Somehow, the smile Junhui wears and the way he hums in honest appreciation after every bite makes it all the better.  
  
  
  
  
ii.  
  
  
  
  
Junhui becomes unbearably quiet once Mingming leaves. He still smiles, and still plays with the others, but there’s something about the Chinese boy that just makes Jeonghan want to wrap him up in a blanket, feed him some warm soup, and tell him all the awful jokes he has in his (rather vast) arsenal until that dejected air hanging around him dissipates completely, and he smiles with pure, unadulterated joy again.  
  
Seungcheol is lying down on his bed – peacefully flipping through his manga – when Jeonghan throws himself onto his body like a floppy, dead fish. He can feel the air getting punched out of the older boy’s lungs, but he pays absolutely no attention to the other’s wheezing. Instead, he drapes an arm dramatically over his eyes and cries out, “I can’t take it anymore!”  
  
“Oh my god, _get off of me_ ,” Seungcheol huffs out. Groaning just for the sake of groaning, Jeonghan rolls over so that he’s lying on his side, properly facing Seungcheol. Grumbling but readjusting himself to face Jeonghan in turn, Seungcheol puts down his manga onto the floor and asks: “What are you going on about now?”  
  
Sighing, Jeonghan allows all pretenses to drop and quietly confesses: “Junnie.” From up close, he can see the way Seungcheol’s eyes darken with concern, and he continues. “I’m worried about him, Seungcheol. He’s been so… _unhappy_ lately.”  
  
Seungcheol runs a hand through his hair, messing up the dark strands and causing them to stick up in every which direction. He breathes out slowly, rubbing at his cheek as he carefully thinks things through.  
  
“I don’t think there’s anything we can do,” he begins. Jeonghan immediately opens his mouth, ready with a semi-angry retort, and Seungcheol is quick to rub soothingly at Jeonghan’s arm, slowly disarming the dissatisfied protest hanging from the tip of his tongue. “Shhh, I know. _I know_ , Jeonghan. But the thing is, Junnie’s going to have to go through this on his own. He was super close to Mingming, so this is obviously going to hit him the hardest. All we can do is be there for him, and make sure he knows that he’s not alone.”  
  
Jeonghan can feel his face heating up, and he bites out a sharp, “ _That’s not good enough_!”  
  
“I know, but I don’t know what we can do,” Seungcheol placates him softly but earnestly, and it’s the undercurrent of worried displeasure threading through the elder’s words that finally dissolves the rest of Jeonghan’s anxious frustration.  
  
They lay there in silence for a long moment, quiet and resigned and displeased but with no idea how to change it.  
  
“I don’t like seeing Junnie unhappy,” Jeonghan finally says, honest and truthful and tired because of it.  
  
“I don’t either,” Seungcheol confesses in return.  
  
There’s another pause, shorter than the last, before Jeonghan firmly states: “I’m going to make him happy again.”  
  
“I know you will,” is Seungcheol’s answer.  
  
And the thing is, there’s not even a shred of doubt in Seungcheol’s words.  
  
  
  
  
“Junnie,” Jeonghan calls out affectionately, shaking Junhui’s shoulders softly in an attempt to rouse the younger boy from his slumber. Junhui mumbles softly, rubbing at his eyes with tight fists before his eyelids flutter back to show off drowsy, dark orbs.  
  
“Mmm, hyung?” Junhui croaks out, and his eyes squint against the morning sunlight filtering through the windows to brighten up their dorm. “You’re awake?”  
  
“Yup, woke up early just for today,” Jeonghan says; today being one of their rare days-off. Junhui yawns at that moment, stretching upwards in a vaguely kittenish manner, and Jeonghan lets his hand run through Junhui’s long hair in a familiarly affectionate manner. “Come on, get up.”  
  
“Why?” Junhui asks, even as he’s already obediently sitting up.  
  
“Hey, hyung woke up early just for this, so you can get up early too,” Jeonghan says before getting off the bed. Junhui blinks in semi-groggy confusion, so Jeonghan simply continues: “I’ve decided I want to have a nice, day-out today, and you’re coming with me.”  
  
“Me?” Junhui asks, pointing to himself.  
  
“Yes, you.”  
  
“Okay,” Junhui says, pushing the blankets off of himself and climbing off his comfy mattress. Grabbing his towel and toothbrush from his bedside table, Junhui asks: “Why?”  
  
“Why what?” is Jeonghan’s patient response.  
  
“Why me?” Junhui clarifies.  
  
“Because I want to spend time with my Junnie,” Jeonghan says, smiling at the young Chinese boy. “Does hyung need any other reason?”  
  
Junhui smiles softly in return, and it already feels like a minor victory.  
  
“No, Jeonghan-hyung.”  
  
“That’s right. Now hurry up and get ready. We have a fun day ahead of us!”  
  
  
  
  
“What do you want to eat?” Jeonghan asks as Junhui is slowly reading the menu. The younger boy frowns, and his eyebrows furrow together as he slowly struggles through the many items listed out.  
  
When Junhui just shrugs, Jeonghan reaches out and points at one item in particular.  
  
“How about this? It’s a crepe drizzled with chocolate and orange sauce. Does that sound good?” When Junhui simply nods in agreement, Jeonghan flips to another page of the menu and adds: “You can also get a peach lemon smoothie. They’re really yummy, and just a little sour, so I think you’ll really enjoy it.”  
  
“Yes, hyung,” Junhui says.  
  
“I’ll order it for you now, okay?” Jeonghan says, folding up their menus and flagging down one of the waiters. “If you don’t like it, you can have some of my pancakes.”  
  
“Okay, hyung,” Junhui says before taking a large sip of his water.  
  
As they’re waiting for their food to arrive, Jeonghan keeps talking to Junhui – telling him funny little tales and cheerful little anecdotes in an attempt to make the other boy happier. Junhui smiles appropriately, and asks questions when there’s something he’s unsure about, but Jeonghan would still like to see him even happier.  
  
“Do you like your crepe?” Jeonghan asks as Junhui is munching on his breakfast. Junhui nods, and Jeonghan leans over the table, asking cutely: “Can hyung try a bite?”  
  
Junhui carefully cuts up a neat little triangle and makes sure to smother the piece in the creamy sauce and cool whip cream before letting Jeonghan eat it off his fork. Jeonghan makes a show of enjoying the crepe, widening his eyes dramatically and letting out pleased noises.  
  
“Mmm, that is good,” Jeonghan says. Smiling at Junhui, the older boy continues teasingly. “But I think it tasted extra delicious because Junnie was the one to feed me.”  
  
Junhui’s face breaks into an embarrassed smile, and he reaches out to playfully swat at Jeonghan’s arm. Jeonghan allows this, laughing and playing along with Junhui’s antics, before gently placating the younger boy by offering him a bit of his pancake.   
  
“Yes, yes,” Jeonghan coos. “I’m embarrassing, now try some of this.”  
  
Despite his admission, Jeonghan can’t help but say “See? Food just tastes yummier when someone you like is feeding you” as Junhui takes a bite from Jeonghan’s fork. Junhui’s face turns pink, and Jeonghan laughs merrily at the sweet sight.  
  
Junhui already looks a good deal happier by the time breakfast is over, and Jeonghan has plans to make sure that happiness will continue afterwards.  
  
  
  
  
It’s a bit past five when Jeonghan and Junhui finally make it back to the dorms. After breakfast, the two of them went to the cinemas to watch _Captain America: The Winter Soldier_ before proceeding to go shopping. Junhui is carrying two small bags as evidence of their adventures, and Jeonghan is still explaining some of the plot points of the movie that Junhui missed (because of how fast the subtitles were going) to the excitable boy as they toe off their shoes in the front foyer.  
  
“Did you have fun today, Junnie?” Jeonghan asks, just before the other boy can slip into his room to show off the presents Jeonghan insisted on getting him (a cute keychain, two short novels, and a bag of sour candies) to Hansol, Mingyu, Samuel, and Seokmin.  
  
“Yes, hyung,” Junhui answers, sweet and honest and grateful, and Jeonghan is glad to see that the other boy genuinely looks happier.  
  
“That’s good to hear,” Jeonghan smiles gently at the other. Pausing for a second, Jeonghan awkwardly clears his throat to stutter out in shaky, uncertain Mandarin: “ _You are not alone. You can speak to me, always_.”  
  
Junhui’s mouth drops open in disbelief as Jeonghan flushes in embarrassment at his no-doubt awful pronunciation. The Chinese boy, however, doesn’t seem to share his deprecating sentiments, and the wide beam that blossoms on Junhui’s face after a moment leaves Jeonghan determined to say that one phrase over and over again if it meant Junhui would keep smiling like that.  
  
“Thank you, Jeonghan-hyung,” Junhui says before rushing forward and wrapping his arms around Jeonghan’s neck. Jeonghan wraps his arms around the other’s waist, suddenly realizing just how long it’d been since Junhui had last tossed himself dramatically into his arms, and feeling all the more grateful for it now.  
  
“Anytime,” Jeonghan says, before letting Junhui disentangle his lanky limbs from his neck. “Now go show off your presents. Make the other kids jealous, got it?”  
  
“Yes, hyung,” Junhui nods. And, with one last honest smile, Junhui slips into his room.  
  
Jeonghan watches him go with fond eyes.  
  
  
  
  
A few weeks later, Junhui bursts into their practice room, face red and eyes frantic. Jeonghan immediately stands up from where he had been sitting with Joshua on the floor, and allows the younger boy to rush into his arms. Patting his back gently and cooing softly, Jeonghan attempts to figure out what’s wrong, but to no avail. Junhui just shakes his head, bending down further to press his overheated face against the hollow of Jeonghan’s throat, and Jeonghan looks over the top of the younger boy’s head to meet the concerned gazes of Joshua, Seungcheol, and Jihoon.  
  
Before he can continue comforting the other boy, however, the door to their practice room opens and one of their managers walks in with a short, slim, young boy following just a few steps behind.  
  
“Everyone, gather around,” their manager calls out, and everyone stops their conversations and games in order to make their way to the front of the room.  
  
“Junnie, come on,” Jeonghan wheedles, carefully dislodging the other’s arms from around him. Junhui lets go after just a few more prods, and Jeonghan reaches down to grab the other boy’s hand before leading him to where the others were all huddled around.  
  
“Boys,” their manager says once Jeonghan and Junhui join the fray, “this is Seo Myungho, he’s a new trainee that will be joining all of you starting today. Treat him well, alright? He’s from China so he won’t be able to communicate too well right now, but I expect you’ll make him feel welcome.”  
  
Jeonghan nods along with the rest of the boys. Everyone begins to approach Myungho the moment their manager backs away. The young Chinese boy is wearing a cap, pulled low over his head. His ears are pierced and while he has a soft and rounded face, the expression he wears is just a tiny bit severe. Nonetheless, Jeonghan makes to move forward in order to introduce himself to the other.  
  
Junhui’s tight grasp on his hand jolts him to a stop before he can get very far though.  
  
“Junnie?” Jeonghan turns around to face the younger boy. “What’s wrong, Junnie?”  
  
Junhui just shakes his head in response. Peeking out shyly from beneath his lashes, the Chinese boy’s eyes flicker briefly to Myungho before averting back to his own feet. His face is blazing red, and Jeonghan feels mildly concerned by this new development. Reaching out, he gently runs his fingers indulgently through Junhui’s hair in a gesture of comfort and glances at their newest trainee.  
  
He’s surprised to see that Myungho is already looking in their direction. The smaller boy’s eyes are dark and his lips are pressed into a fine line as he stares intently at the two of them. Jeonghan’s eyes instinctively narrow, concern transforming into something more vigilant, and he draws Junhui a bit closer to himself.  
  
Despite Junhui’s strange behaviour, the boy doesn’t look scared or nervous. Rather, he just seems embarrassed more than anything, so Jeonghan lets it go for now.  
  
The next time he looks up, Myungho is busy listening to something Soonyoung is saying, his intense focus drawn away from them.  
  
Jeonghan just continues murmuring soothingly to Junhui.  
  
  
  
  
iii.  
  
  
  
  
Jeonghan never realized how spoiled he really is until the thirteen of them get mercilessly dumped onto Yeoseodo and are forced to cook and fend for themselves on the (not so) wild island.  
  
The trip would be ideal too – Yeoseodo is a quaint and quiet place, peaceful and perfect for relaxation and recuperation – if it weren’t for the mere fact that the weather is just a bit too cold, and Jeonghan is just a little bit not used to having to work and fish for their own food.  
  
Sighing, Jeonghan burrows deeper into his coat and feels quietly thankful for the presence of Mingyu. Who knows if they would have even survived the first two days if it weren’t for the younger boy’s amazing cooking abilities. Reaching out, Jeonghan swipes a bit more of his jjajang-rice into his mouth. His eyes close as delicious flavours burst onto his tongue, and he hums appreciatively. Nope, they definitely would not have survived without Mingyu.  
  
Opening his eyes again, Jeonghan is about to gobble up more food when he catches sight of Junhui.  
  
The younger boy is sitting squished between Chan and Wonwoo, and while everyone else around him is scarfing down their meals, Junhui is simply sitting there with an empty bowl already in front of him, content to watch their friends satiate their own hunger. Others have already gotten up to get more servings, but Jeonghan can’t recall seeing the Chinese boy go up to get more food himself. Instead, he keeps urging others to keep grabbing more food. Frowning, Jeonghan feels a sharp pang of worry zip through his body; he knows how much of an appetite Junhui has, having seen the other scarf down six helpings of barbeque by himself, and he knows for a fact that a small bowl of jjajang-rice and one serving of seaweed soup is not enough for the younger boy.  
  
Despite the fact that he’s no doubt still hungry, Junhui looks more than happy to simply watch the others fill up their tummies instead.  
  
Jeonghan feels his eyebrows furrow, loving yet hating how selfless Junhui can be.  
  
  
  
  
“Here,” Jeonghan says, slipping an entire piece of mackerel onto Junhui’s plate a little while later. Junhui jumps a bit in surprise, whipping around to stare at Jeonghan before looking back down at the beautifully cooked fish.  
  
“Oh, this is too much, hyung,” Junhui says, and Jeonghan frowns lightly at the predictable reply. “I can take a smaller piece; you should give this to one of the kids. I bet they’re still starving.”  
  
“There’s still plenty,” Jeonghan says, refusing to take the plate that Junhui’s insistently attempting to press into his hands. “The kids will get some more if they want some.” Jeonghan swallows down the _unlike you_ that almost rolls off his tongue, and dares Junhui to continue arguing against him with his eyes.  
  
Junhui, of course, has no qualms about doing so (when it’s other peoples’ wellbeing on the line), and continues trying to push the mackerel onto Jeonghan.  
  
“This is really too much, hyung.” He’s saying, small smile playing along his lips as he tries to wheedle Jeonghan into taking the fish away. “I’m full from the rice and soup too; I don’t think I’ll be able to finish such a big piece.”  
  
Jeonghan’s eyes narrow.  
  
“You can’t lie to me, Junnie,” he says, offended that the younger would even try, and Junhui snaps his mouth shut, eyes widening at Jeonghan’s uncharacteristically stern tone of voice. “I know for a fact that one bowl of rice and one serving of soup isn’t enough to fill you up, not even a little. You don’t have to be so selfless, okay, Junnie? There’s plenty of food; no one’s going to go hungry because you had a second serving, alright? Take the fish and eat it. I don’t want to see you slipping it onto Hansol’s plate, or feeding it to Seungkwan. You better eat all of it. Every single piece. I’ll be very angry if you don’t.”  
  
Junhui looks down, and Jeonghan can see the younger boy swallowing. Despite his still apparent reluctance, Junhui obediently picks at the mackerel with his chopsticks and begins eating it. Sighing, Jeonghan plops down next to the Chinese boy and places an affectionate arm around the other’s shoulders.  
  
“Honestly Junnie,” Jeonghan sighs softly. Junhui continues meticulously eating, and the speed in which he’s demolishing the fish leaves Jeonghan feeling tired and wary. “It’s okay to be selfish sometimes. And making sure you’re not hungry isn’t even selfish at all. Please take good care of yourself, okay? Hyung won’t be able to take it if you accidentally starve yourself because you’re too busy feeding others.”  
  
Junhui nods, placing his now-empty plate (sans the fish bones) down.  
  
“Yummy?” Jeonghan asks gently.  
  
“Yes, hyung,” Junhui replies in an almost shy manner. Jeonghan just chuckles, letting his hand rub soothingly at Junhui’s shoulder.  
  
“Good,” Jeonghan says. After a comfortable pause, he cheekily adds: “I was actually planning on telling Mingyu that you didn’t like his food if you kept on not eating.”  
  
Junhui gapes at his admission, a small gasp of horror tumbling out from between his parted lips. “ _Hyung_ , you _wouldn’t_.”  
  
“I would’ve,” Jeonghan retaliates. “If it meant you would start properly eating, I would have stood out on the docks all day fishing. Until I caught at least three-hundred mackerels so you wouldn’t feel too bad about eating ten of them.”  
  
The smile on Junhui’s lips is a beautiful mixture of pleased and bashful, and Jeonghan feels his own lips curve up in response. Slowly getting up (and studiously ignoring the way his bones creaked at the motion), Jeonghan grabs Junhui’s plate and begins to head back to the grill where a few more pieces of fish were still lying about.  
  
“Hyung,” Junhui protests when he notices Jeonghan’s intentions. “I really don’t need—”  
  
“Oh Mingyu!” Jeonghan calls out chirpily. Mingyu looks up from where he had been talking to Minghao, a curious expression painted on his face, and Junhui positively blanches.  
  
“Yes, hyung?” Mingyu asks. Jeonghan opens his mouth to make real of his threat, but before a syllable can so much as peep out, Junhui is grabbing the plate from his hands and rushing towards the grill himself.  
  
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Jeonghan says as Junhui picks out a moderately large piece of fish from the selection left. “I just wanted to compliment your cooking. It’s really, really delicious.”  
  
Mingyu perks up, a beam stretching bright and wide across his face as his eyes sparkle with pride.  
  
“Thanks, hyung!”  
  
“Junnie loves your food too,” Jeonghan adds with a teasing edge to his voice. “Look at him, he’s going for seconds.”  
  
Junhui twirls around, his cheeks bulging with mackerel and a slightly trapped look shining in his eyes. Despite the ridiculous image Junhui makes, Mingyu’s smile softens into something sweeter and more intimate as he lays eyes on his other hyung.  
  
“I’m glad you like the food, Junnie-hyung,” Mingyu says, gentle and honest and open. Junhui gulps down his food and nods.  
  
“It’s really yummy, Mingyu. Thank you for cooking,” Junhui offers before rushing back to Jeonghan’s side. Mingyu just smiles one more time before turning back to Minghao.  
  
Jeonghan snickers quietly to himself as Junhui curls up beside him, plateful of mackerel cradled between his knees and chest.  
  
“I can’t believe you, hyung,” Junhui mutters before shoveling more of the fish into his mouth.  
  
“Hey. I did warn you,” Jeonghan says with an irreverent shrug.  
  
Junhui just sniffs a bit but continues to happily munch away.  
  
Jeonghan counts it as a win.  
  
  
  
  
iv.  
  
  
  
  
They’re in Japan when Jeonghan catches Junhui talking to two strangers in the middle of the hotel hallway.  
  
There’s nothing inherently suspicious about the two men, nothing that screams _danger_ or _beware_ , but Jeonghan still immediately dislikes the way they’re smiling at Junhui, at the way they’re leaning into his space, at the way Junhui is just _letting_ them do so.  
  
Eyes narrowing as a surge of protectiveness sweeps up his frame, Jeonghan makes his way towards the three figures. With each step he takes, he inhales deeply in an attempt to calm himself, and – by the time he closes in on them – there’s a painted smile on his face.  
  
“Junnie,” he calls out sweetly, and the younger man immediately perks up, twisting around to face his hyung with an innocuous look on his face. That pure, sweet, _trusting_ expression Junhui is wearing just makes Jeonghan’s skin crawl all the more at the way the two men barely tear their eyes away from his dongsaeng.  
  
“I was looking all over the place for you, Junnie,” Jeonghan tsks as he slides closer to Junhui and subtly pushes the two men further away from the Chinese man’s personal bubble. “What are you doing out here, hmm?”  
  
“Oh, I was spending time with Jihoonie in his room. I was heading back when I bumped into…um…Hadashi-san and Akinari-san?” Junhui turns towards the two for confirmation that he got their names right, and Jeonghan has to physically restrain himself from telling Junhui that _it doesn’t matter if you got their names correct, because I’m taking you far, far away from them right now_.  
  
One of the men says something at that moment, but Jeonghan can barely make out what he’s saying. Junhui evidently can’t either by the blank look in his eyes, but he still laughs softly regardless, and – as if Junhui’s sweet laughter is invitation enough – the two men lean in even _closer_.  
  
And _that’s it_.  
  
“That’s nice,” Jeonghan says, the smile on his lips frozen there by sheer force of will and four years of training and limelight. “But it’s getting late and we have an early schedule tomorrow. Let’s go back to our room now, okay, Junnie?”  
  
Junhui nods in agreement, and turns towards the two men to offer up a polite _goodbye_. Before Jeonghan can bundle and rush Junhui away from there, however, one of the men pipes up. Jeonghan can just make out the words ‘see’, ‘tomorrow’, ‘together’, and ‘night’, and while he already seriously dislikes the implications of those four words strung together, it’s the vague leer the two men are sporting that causes him to snap.  
  
“ _Back off_ ,” he hisses out, in Japanese or in Korean, he doesn’t care. His poisonous glare is enough to get the message across – even with the language barrier – and the two men reel back a bit from the shock. Their initial surprise melts away quickly though, and they spit out something in response.  
  
Jeonghan doesn’t even bother replying. Instead, he takes hold of Junhui’s wrist and begins leading him down the hallway. As they round the corner, Jeonghan can still see the two men lingering where they had left them, and he shoots them one last snarl before continuing on.  
  
Junhui remains silent until they make it back to their room.  
  
“Jeonghannie-hyung?” He asks, hesitant and confused, the moment the door closes behind them.  
  
Pressing the heel of his hands tightly against his eyes, Jeonghan tries to push back the anger still thrumming through his veins.  
  
“Hyung?” Junhui’s plaintive voice sounds again. “Are you okay?”  
  
Soft hands begin brushing through his hair, and Jeonghan groans, tilting his head back and dropping his hands from his face. Opening his eyes, he meets Junhui’s concerned gaze with a tired one.  
  
“It’s nothing,” he replies, voice still a bit gruff, and Junhui frowns, obviously not believing him.  
  
“Are you sure?” He asks. After a moment, he adds softly: “Why are you so angry, hyung?”  
  
“I just…” Trailing off, Jeonghan tries to think of the best way to go about this. Junhui stands before him, patient and curious, and Jeonghan groans as he comes up empty-handed. “You need to be more aware of your surroundings, Junnie.”  
  
“Okay, hyung,” Junhui replies immediately, obediently. His eyes still shine with bright confusion though, and Jeonghan scrubs one hand through his hair, messing up the reddish-brown strands.    
  
“Just…please be a bit more careful around strangers, okay?” Jeonghan continues. “I know you’re not a child and you don’t need me to remind you of this, but still keep it in mind, okay? Not everyone is kind; some people set out to hurt others, and I don’t want to see you get hurt.”  
  
“Okay, hyung,” Junhui agrees earnestly. Sighing, Jeonghan tilts his head towards their adjacent bathroom.  
  
“It really is getting late now,” Jeonghan says. “Why don’t you wash up first?”  
  
“Thank you, Jeonghannie-hyung,” Junhui says. Grabbing his pajamas from their suitcases, Junhui offers Jeonghan one last smile before slipping into the bathroom.  
  
The shower starts soon after, and Jeonghan flops lifelessly onto his bed.  
  
He spends the time Junhui takes showering attempting to soothe his concerns and beat down the protective rage still curling around his stomach.  
  
  
  
  
Jeonghan sees the two men the next morning while he’s grabbing breakfast with the rest of the members. All thirteen of them (along with a few staff members) are dawdling around the hotel dining room, filling up their bowls with rice and miso soup, and plates with sweet eggs and crispy fishes. The two men are sitting at a table only slightly removed from the rest of them, and Jeonghan immediately searches for Junhui in the messy room.  
  
The younger man is picking out something to drink – evidently debating between orange juice and lemonade – with Wonwoo standing close to his elbow. Minghao joins them after a few moments, apparently complaining about how long Junhui is taking, and Jeonghan relaxes marginally at the sight of Junhui surrounded protectively by their friends.    
  
Glancing back at the two men, he jolts a bit at the realization that the two of them are looking back at him. His eyes narrow into angry, little slits, and he knows his lips are twisting down into an ugly scowl.  
  
Turning back around, Jeonghan whisks his breakfast off the table he had initially chosen and stomps across the room to another table, as far away as possible from the two men.  
  
Plopping down aggressively, Jeonghan makes sure the other members can see where he’s sitting before digging in.  
  
A few chairs pull out just as Jeonghan is angrily biting into a slice of orange, and he looks up to meet Seungcheol and Joshua’s concerned gazes.  
  
“Are you okay?” Joshua asks, just as Seungcheol offers up a careful: “Someone’s a bit worked up.”  
  
Swallowing his bite of food, Jeonghan lightly huffs out.  
  
“Do you see those two guys sitting in the corner of the room?” Jeonghan asks, tilting his head subtly in the correct direction. Seungcheol and Joshua both discreetly glance at said corner before turning back around and nodding. Jeonghan continues, scowling at the very memory of last night. “I caught Junnie talking to them yesterday out in the hallway. The two of them were…overly-friendly with Junnie.”  
  
Seungcheol glances back at the two men, his eyes a lot more wary than before.  
  
“Overly-friendly?” Joshua asks quietly just as Jihoon pulls out a chair beside Seungcheol.  
  
“As in they were leering and blatantly checking him out the whole time,” Jeonghan growls out, feeling slightly vindicated at the brief anger flashing through Seungcheol’s eyes and the frown twisting at Joshua’s lips.  
  
“Who?” Jihoon asks, eyes flickering between the three oldest members.  
  
“Apparently those two men sitting over there were ogling Junnie last night,” Seungcheol says, stabbing his bowl of rice with his chopsticks.  
  
“Not just ogling,” Jeonghan says as Jihoon takes a peek at the two men from the corner of his eye. “They were clearly invading his personal space. I think they were also trying to convince him to stay the night with them as well.”  
  
Jihoon’s face is dark and stormy at the mere thought of the two men attempting to take advantage of Junhui’s trusting nature and inability to communicate in Japanese, and even Joshua looks irritated beyond belief. Seungcheol is just about to say something – no doubt biting, simply based on the incensed expression on his face – when a few more chairs pull out, forcing him to swallow his words.  
  
Junhui slides into his seat, Minghao, Wonwoo, and Mingyu following suit right after. The four of them are laughing and joking around in clear contrast with the four already sitting down, and the latter group takes the former’s moment of distraction to try to tame down their anger.  
  
“Oh, Joshua-hyung!” Junhui suddenly calls out. Joshua, Jeonghan, Seungcheol, and Jihoon all twist around to face the Chinese man, some of them better at pretending to not be angry than others. Thankfully, Junhui remains oblivious, simply asking: “Where did you find the mango pancakes?”  
  
“Ah,” Joshua says, looking down at his plate. His eyes flicker quickly to where Jeonghan knows the two men are still sitting, before he smiles at Junhui and pushes the plateful of treats towards the younger. “You can have them. I’ll get some more for myself later.”  
  
“Thank you, hyung,” Junhui chirps in obvious delight, pulling the plate of mango pancakes towards himself and spearing one of them with his chopsticks before munching happily away.  
  
Their remaining members choose now to take a seat at the table, and Junhui turns his attention towards Hansol and Seokmin, offering them a few mango pancakes as well. Sighing, Jeonghan turns around and shoots Joshua a glance bordering on grateful. The younger man only tilts his head in commiseration, and Jeonghan turns back to his own meal.  
  
Before he can dig back in, however, his eyes meet Minghao’s. The younger Chinese boy is staring at him with the same intensity he demonstrated that first time they met. His eyes flicker up and down, carefully studying Jeonghan’s face, before he looks toward the corner Joshua had so briefly glanced at. Jeonghan can see the way Minghao is taking in the sight of the two men, at the way the boy is no doubt connecting the dots in his head. Turning back towards Jeonghan, Minghao raises one questioning eyebrow with his head tilted towards Junhui. Subtly nodding, Jeonghan watches as a dark scowl makes itself known on Minghao’s face.  
  
They spend breakfast that way: five members quietly fuming and the other eight cheerily playing around and sharing their food.  
  
The only consolation Jeonghan really gets is when the two men pass by their table, it’s not just his lone glare burning into them; four others join him in silently cursing the two of them out.  
  
  
  
  
v.  
  
  
  
  
Jeonghan figures out that Minghao, Wonwoo, and Mingyu are all in love with Junhui because the three of them are about as subtle as a panda bear – dressed in a traditional kimono, and donning a blonde wig – stomping through their agency while playing _Adore U_ on a bright, neon blue electric guitar.  
  
He first suspected Mingyu of being in love with Junhui when he walked in on the two of them, just a bit after they first debuted, sitting on the practice room floor – two half-empty bubble tea cups keeping them company – while Junhui is gesticulating wildly, clearly in the midst of the most ridiculous anecdote ever. Jeonghan can still remember the fond look on Mingyu’s face as he listened to Junhui’s silly story. The taller boy’s eyes had been crinkled into happy, little lines as he stared at Junhui; something close to awe had been reflected in his orbs, and his smile couldn’t have been called anything less than pure adoration.  
  
He first suspected Wonwoo of being in love with Junhui when he visited the younger boy in the hospital after he had been diagnosed with acute gastritis. Junhui was already there when Jeonghan arrived. The Chinese boy, however, had fallen asleep. No doubt exhausted from the constant practices they were subjected to, he had been slumbering peacefully with his head cushioned in the crook of his arms. Wonwoo had been petting Junhui’s hair softly, fingers running through the soft blonde strands, and his eyes were the softest Jeonghan had ever seen them. Despite the tiredness and pain causing Wonwoo to lose weight and skin colour, he looked _alive_ with Junhui curled up beside him. Jeonghan had closed the door and waited outside for a few more minutes – allowing Wonwoo a moment longer with Junhui.  
  
He first suspected Minghao of being in love with Junhui after the incident at the hotel. After breakfast had ended, Minghao had stomped back to his room with nary a glance behind him. Everyone – aside from Jeonghan – had looked shocked at the sudden dive Minghao’s emotions took, but decided to leave him be for the moment. Later that afternoon though, once Minghao finally left his room – his face back to its typical composure – he had stuck to Junhui like glue. Junhui had been delighted at Minghao’s uncharacteristic show of clinginess, and allowed the younger boy to follow him everywhere. Jeonghan had watched as Minghao more or less acted as Junhui’s shadow, staring down anyone who so much as looked in the older man’s direction with an intensity so great, it had felt like he was dissecting and analyzing every person’s motives. Needless to say, Jeonghan had been a lot more willing to let Junhui out of his sight with Minghao following after the other so intently.  
  
Knowing how possessive both Wonwoo and Minghao can be, as well as how mopey and sad Mingyu can get if he’s not given the attention he craves, Jeonghan was initially a bit wary of these new developments. He worried that there would be tension and turbulence as the three fought and argued for Junhui’s (ever attentive) affections.  
  
His concerns were quickly put to ease though.  
  
The three of them got along fine. In fact, they got along _better_ than fine. There doesn't seem to be any hard feelings – as far as Jeonghan can tell – and, rather than brawling it out for Junhui’s soft eyes and pretty smiles, the three of them seem content to share Junhui’s love.  
  
Despite all that, however, Jeonghan still isn’t ready for Junhui to start dating (stupid as that may seem).  
  
It all comes to a head on June 10th, just a little bit after midnight.  
  
  
  
  
“What is going on?” Jeonghan asks from the doorway of Junhui’s (and his roommates’) bedroom.  
  
Mingyu, Wonwoo, and Minghao look up from what they’re doing. There are pretty yellow and orange streamers hanging from the ceiling; Mingyu seems to be in the midst of blowing up a few light purple balloons (his face is red with the exertion); Wonwoo is apparently smuggling out several brightly-wrapped presents from his side of the closet; Minghao is carefully arranging several platters of Chinese takeout on the small table pulled to the center of the room; the whole place seems softened somehow, cheery and happy, celebratory and filled with love.  
  
“We’re…” Mingyu starts, looking around at the other two for help.  
  
“It’s for Junhui-hyung’s birthday,” Minghao quickly pipes up. His hands quickly unpack a container of sweet-and-sour pork, placing it perfectly on the table, before the boy looks up again and meets Jeonghan’s eyes head-on.  
  
“I see,” Jeonghan says. Looking around once more, he continues: “But we also already planned a dinner later today for Junnie?”  
  
“Yeah, this is…a more personal event for just the four of us,” Wonwoo answers. A silence descends over the room as the three of them look at Jeonghan with eyes that dare the elder to dissuade them from their quest.  
  
Closing his eyes, Jeonghan breathes in deeply. He thinks of the way Junhui’s eyes light up whenever Minghao reciprocates his affectionate touches. He remembers how giggly Junhui gets whenever he’s with Wonwoo, sharing inside jokes and swapping funny stories with the younger man. He recalls how soft Mingyu had been with Junhui while they were on Yeoseodo, and how pliant Junhui had been in the protective circle of the taller boy’s arms.  
  
Sighing, he opens his eyes and meets the determined gazes of the three younger men standing before him.  
  
“I trust the three of you to do right by Junnie, so this goes without saying…” Trailing off, Jeonghan sighs and offers Mingyu, Wonwoo, and Minghao a soft smiling, oddly feeling like a father about to give away a beloved child. “But treat him well, okay?”  
  
To their credit, the three of them don’t bother with false protestations at all. Instead, they share a meaningful look between them, solemn and serious, before Minghao is turning back around to face Jeonghan.  
  
“Of course, hyung,” Minghao promises, eyes honest and willing to see that promise through.  
  
“Okay,” Jeonghan relents and backs away from the doorway. “Have fun tonight, guys. Don’t stay up too late, alright?”  
  
“Good night, hyung,” Mingyu says, smiling softly at the older man, and Jeonghan offers a small wave before walking out and closing the bedroom door behind him.  
  
That night, sometime around two in the morning, Jeonghan is awoken by the sounds of quiet murmuring. Squinting against the darkness of his room, he strains his ears and is greeted by the sound of Junhui’s happy, familiar, and treasured little giggles.  
  
Smiling to himself, Jeonghan quickly falls back into a soft and easy slumber.  
  
  
  
  
\+ i.  
  
  
  
  
“Get back into bed right now, hyung.” Jihoon’s hands push insistently at Jeonghan’s chest until the elder has no choice but to fall back onto his warm and comfy mattress. “Honestly. You’re always in bed when we want you out of it, and the one time we’re demanding you sleep, you’re trying to get up.”  
  
“You have no room to talk, Jihoon-ah,” Jeonghan manages to croak out through his phlegm-filled throat. Breathing in deeply, Jeonghan can feel how both his nostrils have now become totally blocked, and he closes his eyes as the horror descends upon him.  
  
“Shush,” Jihoon says not unkindly. Tucking the blankets tightly around Jeonghan’s fevered body, Jihoon grumbles: “What’s so important that you can’t even rest when you’re sick, huh?”  
  
Sniffling a bit, Jeonghan’s voice is extra nasally when he asks: “How’s Junnie doing?”  
  
“Seriously, _that’s_ what you’re worried about?” Tsking, Jihoon leans back and levels a seriously unimpressed stare in Jeonghan’s direction. “You need to relax, hyung. Junhui’s still sick, but we’re taking good care of him.”  
  
“Does he need to go to the doctor’s?” Jeonghan asks, voice cracking from the strain. Jihoon presses a cup of warm lemon water insistently into his hands, and Jeonghan obediently takes a sip before continuing: “Is he eating? Keeping hydrated? Make sure he sleeps properly.”  
  
“I can say the same thing about _you_ ,” Jihoon rolls his eyes in exasperation. Sighing, his stern face softens a bit and he reaches out to pat Jeonghan consolingly on the shoulder. “He’ll be fine. I promise we’ll take good care of him, okay? However, _you_ need to properly take care of yourself too. We’ll be in big trouble if you come down with something more serious than a common flu.”  
  
Jeonghan groans, leaning back into his pillow and quietly fretting anyway. Junhui usually keeps to himself so well that sometimes the other members won’t even notice when he’s sick. So the fact that the younger man is so ill that he’s bedridden is causing a sharp pang of anxiety to course through Jeonghan’s veins.  
  
“I just…worry,” Jeonghan mutters, and Jihoon nods his head in understanding.  
  
“Don’t we all?” He asks rhetorically. “You still need to take good care of yourself too, though. Think of how sad Junhui will be when he gets better and sees that you’re still sick.”  
  
“Yeah,” Jeonghan murmurs. Closing his eyes, he groans and mumbles: “I think I’m gonna try to sleep now.”  
  
“Sleep well, hyung,” is the last thing Jeonghan hears. He falls asleep before Jihoon even manages to leave the room.  
  
  
  
  
Two days later, Jeonghan wakes up feeling a bit better. His head still feels as though it’s stuffed with cotton and his throat still aches, but the previous painful headache that had been throbbing in his temples has finally receded, and Jeonghan sighs in light relief.  
  
“Hyung,” Junhui’s voice suddenly sounds, and Jeonghan whips his head to the side (a big mistake, really) to see Junhui sitting a fair distance away, still dressed in his pajamas and sporting a reddish nose, but looking a great deal better than when Jeonghan last saw him. “You’re awake!”  
  
Jeonghan feels a weight leave his chest at the sight of a healthier-looking Junhui, and he sighs quietly to himself, the tension finally leaving his body as he settles back further into his fluffy pillows.  
  
“Do you feel better?” Jeonghan asks the younger man, and Junhui nods with a soft smile on his face.  
  
“Yeah,” he confirms. “I feel a lot better now. I’m still a little sick, but everyone took really good care of me, so I was able to get better quick.” Frowning, the previous happiness dims in his eyes, and worry replaces them as Junhui frets: “How are _you_ feeling though, Jeonghannie-hyung? You still don’t look very good.”  
  
“I’m feeling a lot better now,” Jeonghan reassures Junhui with a small smile, and he’s not even lying. Junhui smiles, still looking a little unconvinced but willing to trust his hyung’s words.  
  
“I’m glad,” he says, before bouncing a little in his seat. “Mingyu is making ginseng soup for us right now. He said it’ll be done in about half-an-hour. Apparently it’s supposed to help make you feel better when you’re sick. If you want I can also ask Jihoonie to make you some ginger tea; it really helped with my throat so maybe it’ll help with yours too?”  
  
Jeonghan just sits back and listens as Junhui prattles on for a little bit; apparently the other members had taken rotations caring for Junhui. They took turns sitting with him when he was awake, telling him stories to keep him entertained, forcing liquids down his throat to keep him hydrated, playing games with him when he felt good enough to do so, sometimes even just stroking his hair and rubbing soothing patterns into the delicate skin on the back of his hand to make him feel better and a little less alone.  
  
Smiling as he listens to Junhui, Jeonghan feels quietly thankful for the other members, and drifts back into a peaceful lull. Junhui sits beside him, and – together – they silently count down the minutes until another day begins, and they can spend that one with each other as well.   
  


**Author's Note:**

> I know I should be working on my other SVT fic(s), but this series idea has been lingering in the back of my mind for months now. I thought it was about time to put it on paper.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading; please look forward to future installments to this series.
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated. I'll see you guys next time!! ♥


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